HUNTINGDON is set to lose much of its Crown Court workload in the autumn, but it will gain some employment tribunal cases from Bury St Edmunds.

The Ministry of Justice said spare court capacity in the Peterborough Magistrates’ Court building would be used for additional sittings of the Crown Court, reducing the need for cases to be heard at Huntingdon.

“It will save the cost of juries travelling to Huntingdon,” a spokesman said. “Huntingdon Law Courts are currently used as a county court and magistrates’ courts, with overspill cases from Peterborough Crown Court also heard there.”

Crown Court cases have been tried at the ‘combined justice centre’ Walden Road since its opening in autumn 2007 at a cost of �13million, although the courts’ administration has always happened in Peterborough.

Huntingdon MP and Justice Minister Jonathan Djanogly told The Hunts Post: “The Huntingdon courts are going to be busier than ever with employment tribunals moving in. The magistrates’ court is not affected.”

The MoJ said the volume of employment tribunal work transferred from Bury St Edmunds would exceed the volume of Crown Court work lost, although the tribunal would also continue to sit in Suffolk.

? Should Huntingdonshire have its court cases heard locally rather than at Peterborough? Send your views to editor@huntspost.co.uk